User:ThunderGod Cid/Meat Shield

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Author: ThunderGod Cid (talk)
Date Created: February 20, 2010
Status: Missing sample NPC
Editing: Post suggestions on talk page.
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File:04 warhammer chosen zealot by sandara.jpg
A spellcaster and his trusty meat shield.

Meat Shield[edit]

Get behind me.

Most warriors concentrate on protecting themselves first and foremost. While the meat shield is also more than adept at doing so, he focuses his efforts of defending someone with significantly less survivability than himself. The meat shield's primary focus isn't damage; he has teammates to do that. His role is to serve as a tank and zone controller whose abilities center on either forcing or giving incentive for enemies to attack him.

Making a Meat Shield[edit]

A meat shield is exactly what his title suggests: a shield made of meat. The more meat he has, the better a shield he is.

Abilities: Strength and Constitution are the most important abilities for a meat shield. They increase his prowess in melee (and make up for his principal's possible lack thereof) and his ability to absorb damage (since he may be taking hits for at least two people).

Races: Most meat shields are made of hardier stuff than their principals. Among the typical races, many meat shields are burly humans, dwarves, or half-orcs. But it is not uncommon for a meat shield to be a totally different race than his principal, who understands the value of having a sturdy companion.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 8d6×10 gp (280 gp).

Starting Age: Simple.

Table: The Meat Shield

Hit Die: d12

Level Base
Attack Bonus
Saving Throws Special
Fort Ref Will
1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Oath of Service, Provoke, Unbreakable
2nd +2 +3 +1 +3 Retaliation
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3
4th +4 +4 +1 +4
5th +5 +4 +2 +4
6th +6/+1 +5 +2 +5
7th +7/+2 +5 +2 +5
8th +8/+3 +6 +3 +6
9th +9/+4 +6 +3 +6
10th +10/+5 +7 +3 +7

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level)
Climb (Str), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str).

Class Features[edit]

All of the following are class features of the meat shield.

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: A meat shield is proficient with all simple and martial weapons as well as all forms of armor and shields.

Oath of Service (Ex):

Provoke (Ex):

Unbreakable (Ex): A meat shield is exceptionally tough, drawing upon reserves of energy others could not even fathom. The meat shield has fast healing equal to his character level, and may spend a move action to gain temporary hit points equal to his class level multiplied by his Constitution modifier. These temporary hit points decay at the end of each of his turns, decreasing by an amount equal to his character level (to a minimum of 0).

Retaliation: The meat shield gains one additional attack of opportunity per round per two points of BAB he possesses or however many bonus AoO’s he would normally be allotted from Combat Reflexes, etc. (whichever is higher). He also gains more opportunities to make AoO’s, as follows:

  • The meat shield can make attacks of opportunity against a foe for any movement within the area he threatens.
  • If he successfully intervenes for a principal targeted by a melee attack, he may make an attack of opportunity against the attacker. When this occurs, half the damage dealt to the meat shield (if any) by the previous attack is added to the damage of his attack.